The Everlight Charter

Black smoke on the Lake of Mist and Veils

An alarm was raised amongst the city, for there was smoke coming from a ship headed for port. It was found to be the Orlovsky royal ship, and it was in distress. Clerics from the church of Gorum, Abadar, and Pharasma waited at port along with squads of town guard. As the ship lurched into port, it was made aware that the ship and Noble family on-board had come under attack from assassins, and Alabaster‘s uncle was gravely wounded. The dark magic on the blade prevented healing, and all manner of magic could only sustain his fragile state of half-life. The city was under lock down, and it was made apparent that the life of Alabaster was at risk, even in the city’s walls. Their training through, they needed to leave the city to get back to their duties of the Charter, but it was unsafe to leave through the front gates. They sought an alternative exit, and were soon approached by a man who led them to a dark tavern corner. There sat a cloaked man, bathed in shadow.

And weeks turned into months...

Alabaster and Gavrosh returned to take care of the man locked in the cage outside the city, but found an empty cage. The man had supposedly died, his body sold to a third party. The group continued to train and learn from their various masters over the weeks. During this time, Gavrosh and Alabaster made good on their promise to look in on the prisoners family. They provided some coins to the widow to feed her children, and Alabaster arranged for the children to work at the temple to Saranrae. It was soon brought to Roarsh‘s attention that a barbarian had gotten into a brawl with several men and a cause considerable damage to a tavern and some trader’s goods. Roarsh went to investigate, and soon found it was one of the Vol’ Dun, his fathers estranged people. He spoke to the man and set about to ask Lord Alabaster if he could help in his release, for Roarsh wished to learn more of his people. There were however a large number of things that had to be rectified in order to procure the mans release. Firstly, he had caused a large loss of earnings to “The Busty Wench” tavern which needed to be repaid. Gavrosh realized he was best suited to remedy this, and offered to perform there for a month. He performed superbly, and the agreement was struck, settling the matter. Next they spoke to a vendor, whose crate of expensive spices was knocked over spilling into the mud. Fortune favored Alabaster, for the man was a devout follower of Saranrae, and agreed to drop his claim against the man in return for exclusive trading rites in any settlement that Alabaster established in the stolen lands. An agreement was struck, and the matter was settled.Alabaster then headed to court to speak to Regent Noleski Surtova. After deftly maneuvering around the deadly political dealings of Surtova, he agreed to release the man into Alabaster’s custody…for a fee. The agreement was struck and the matter was settled. Finally after all their dealings, they retrieved Blackmane from prison. The man had few words for his saviors, and road off into the wilds.Alabaster then headed to court to speak to Regent Noleski Surtova. After deftly maneuvering around the deadly political dealings of Surtova, he agreed to release the man into Alabaster custody…for a fee. The agreement was struck and the matter was settled. Finally after all their dealings, they retrieved Blackmane from prison. The man had few words for his saviors, and road off into the wilds.

An Uncivilized Civilization

Before entering the city, they passed by a man left to starve and die of exposure. Lord Alabaster fed and provided water for the neglected man. Gavrosh inquired of how he got in such an unfortunate way, and they learned of how unfairly a commoner could be treated when Nobility (particularly the acting regent of New Stetsven) acted on a whim. The man’s house was burned, his family displaced to live in the slums, and he was sentenced to rot in the cages, while the offending nobles walked away unpunished. Alabaster treated his wounds and shared a look with Gavrosh of quiet understanding, knowing that change must be brought for the poor. Gavrosh pledged to look in on the man’s family. They prayed over the man and entered the city, after paying a tax to enter “the security of such a civilized and safe place”. The group arrived at the Orlovsky summer house and settled in. Roarsh and Clash left to spend some coin at whore houses and ale houses. Soon after while traveling the streets, they were approached by the city’s militia and arrested for bearing arms within the city’s walls without permission. They were stripped of their gear and coin and tossed into the filthy dungeons of the jail. While Gavrosh took in the novelties of the noble household, Alabaster spoke with his present family members on current events and matters of family state.
Meanwhile Roarsh appealed to the jailer that he was lawfully bearing arms on behalf of Lord Alabaster, grudgingly he sent a messenger boy to check on these claims. Clash watched on from another cell as guards divided his coin purse. The messenger boy arrived to the Orlovsky household to inform Alabaster that his men were being detained. Alabaster and Gavrosh departed at once to retrieve their brothers in arms. They arrived at the jail to see another site that saddened the hearts of Gavrosh and Alabaster; several men and women suffering in stocks, wounds and sores upon their flesh. Alabaster looked upon the poor people, and allowed his Goddess’s love to flood out onto their bodies and souls, alleviating their pain. Without being able to do anything more, they said prayers and entered the jail. They procured the release of their friends just as Clash had made a foolhardy deal to buy his own release. Despite Gavrosh‘s best efforts in intimidation and eloquent speech, the money would not be returned; a tough lessened learned. Gavrosh decided that he would buy a license to act as Alabaster’s legit, not only elevating his social status, but helping Alabaster in any official capacity that may be needed. Gavrosh sought to gain entry into the Bardic College, and was accepted into the school after sponsorship by Alabaster and submission of a rare and original work of art(found on a dead bard in the wilds). Clash and Roarsh took up some jobs with the local mercenary guild, and continued their training. Alabaster looked in on his pupils at the church of Saranrae, Larret and Jargo.

Time to Train

The group relaxed back at Oleg‘s and shared dinner, drink and story of their endeavors. While the bandit threat was still present in the stolen lands, the group had not come across a single bandit since their run in at the camp. They all had come through a lot together, and felt that they had grown in their skills. Gavrosh had always dreamed of perhaps attending the famed “Bardic College” where Bards from all over the world would share their tales and pool their vast knowledge. However, this was an extremely expensive institution, and quite prestigious as well. Alabaster desired to return to his church, and reflect deeper on Saranrae’s teachings, while Clash and Roarsh wanted to take on some jobs with a mercenary guild to help pay for their training in the martial ways. They headed for New Stetven, and after a week of travel on the road, they arrived at the wooden city’s gates.

The Tormented Bear

Jhod Kavken had spoken with Gavrosh and Alabaster privately about a dream he was having. It was vague but what he could make out was that there was a large tormented bear involved somehow. There was also something upsetting the balance of nature in the stolen lands, and that they needed to find a forgotten temple of Erastil. The Group offered to escort him along while they searched for the location of these visions, and so they departed. A few days of unsuccessful searching found them in a courtyard hidden in the wilderness. They immediately recognized this place as what was described in Jhod‘s vision, and knew there to be something wrong. They could feel a sense of “wrongness” there. They were beset by swarms of insects, as well as a water elemental that formed from the murky reflecting pool. As they sprung into action against these nuisances, they were soon caught by surprise as an enraged bear charged into the group, foaming at the mouth. After a precarious battle, the threats were eliminated and the temple was cleansed of the taint. The bear’s corpse slowly shifted into a druid who had gone insane. Jhod felt the approval of his God, and they returned to Oleg’s.

Upon returning to Oleg‘s, The group was met by an elf named Sciferous . He told the group he was taking a sojourn from his people, and the royal court of the elves. After some time conversing amongst the group he was invited to travel to the stolen lands with them. A young wizard also showed up, speaking of his master who was last seen in Pitax. He was also invited to come along with the group. While some of the group stayed back to rest weary bones and train, the others headed out into the stolen lands to continue exploring. The group encountered mischievous Fey who braided the group’s horse’s hairs, and cut holes in their water sacks. They found large hot water sulfur pools, and giant toads. After a few days, they returned to regroup and explain what they had found.

Gone but not forgotten

The group traveled back out into the wilds, taking a more westerly route. Several more days of mapping and exploring yielded little in any way other than small tracks here or there. They came upon a burial cairn, obviously forgotten by the ages. Roarsh wanted to leave it undisturbed, however Gavrosh in his never ending thirst for knowledge, decided to unearth the remains, respectfully of course. He pulled the rocks back to reveal a barbarian skeleton of some type, buried there with little more than his old rotting gear and a ring. He absorbed the scene in his mind, and returned the cairn to its original condition, with gear and all. This would later be the subject of one of Gavrosh’s ever more famous poems. They continued on their way, soon coming to an area infested with malicious traps, designed to maim. They decided these traps should be disposed of, so they went about disarming them all. The rest of the week was uneventful.

and new friends...

Some new people had shown up to Olegs, people who were more than just ordinary travelers. Kesten Garess (of House Garess) had arrived with a few guardsmen to keep Olegs Safe while the party was out adventuring. A priest of Erastil by the name of Jhod Kavken arrived with troubling feelings about a vision from his God, and a trapper named Daniel taking a break from his work.

Eccentric potions

The group sadly made their way back towards Olegs, mourning the their loss. A day or so later, they came upon a hut out by itself. They approached and found it inhabited by a Eccentric(if not crazy) potion maker. After normal greetings were exchanged, the group continued on its way. It appeared there was more than just vile bandits and monsters out on the Frontier, life worth redeeming. A few days later, they arrved at Olegs. They said their goodbyes to Darva, rested, resupplied and headed back into the wilds.

A Grim Finish...

After deciding what bearing they would head to start their exploration, they supplied up and headed out south into the unknown. Alabaster decided to bring two of the prisoners along, to allow them a chance to work off their debt. Several uneventful days of carefull mapping and and exploring found the group settling in for the night. While Roarsh and Clash were out hunting, the rest of the group set up camp and prepared to cook what was brought back from the forests bounty. However a giant Centipede, attracted by the fire, ravaged the campsite. At the end of the melee, Darva and one of the bandits lay dead, along with the two horses.